1. Port Jackson, New South Wales, Australia: Located in Port Jackson, a principal port of New South Wales, Australia, Sydney Harbor has been crucial to the economic development of Australia since it became the country's first major port more than 200 years ago.
2. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: The official port of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Port Metro of Vancouver trades US$75 billion in goods each year, generating across Canada an estimated 129,000 jobs, US$6.1 billion in wages and US$10.5 billion in GDP.
3. Municipality of Shanghai, People's Republic of China: The Port of Shanghai occupies an enviable geographic location, enjoys near-ideal natural conditions, and has ample inland distribution facilities and infrastructure, helping it become one of China's most important gateways to the world.
4. San Diego, California, USA: Winner of the prestigious Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Purchasing Institute in 2009, the Port of San Diego features a multifaceted Green Port Program focusing on water, air, waste management, sustainability and more.
5. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Port of Jebel Ali is the largest port in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Modernized in the 1970s, the port handles freight from the largest of supertankers to small commercial vessels and serves as the hub for the expansive Middle Eastern jewelry market.
6. Los Angeles, California, USA: For the period June 1, 2009 to June 30, 2009, 58.64 percent of the 177,920 cargo moves at the Port of Los Angeles' terminals were made by clean trucks that meet or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2007 emissions standards.
7. Toamasina, Atsinanana Region, Toamasina Province, Madagascar: The Port of Toamasina handles 90 percent of Madagascar's container traffic and more than 80 percent of all trade traffic for the island. Major exports include coffee, vanilla (Madagascar is the world's largest producer/exporter of vanilla), sugarcane, cocoa and peanuts.
8. Hamburg, Germany: The Port of Hamburg handles approximately 27 million tons of general cargo per year, including machinery, chemicals and food preparations. The port unloaded its first containers in August 2009, using the new route that connects Berlin and Hamburg, replacing the need for approximately 50 truck runs per week.
9. Republic of Singapore: Although Singapore does not produce any oil it is one of the top bunkering (ship refueling) ports in the world. Annually, about 30 million tonnes of bunkers are lifted in Singapore - enough to fill 12 million Olympic-sized pools.
10. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India: Named after the first Prime Minister of India, the Jawaharlal Nehru port is the busiest in India. Located near the city of Mumbai on the Arabian Sea, 65 percent of India's container traffic comes through the port annually.
11. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Buenos Aires is South America's biggest port, receiving ships from all over the world bringing consumer goods and machinery and taking away agricultural products and byproducts.
12. Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands: Directly situated on the North Sea, Rotterdam's port and industrial complex stretches 40 kilometer in length and features numerous companies specializing in storage, transshipment, industrial processing and auxiliary services on-site.
Source: ISM 2010 Calendar